Adam Graf talks with a young member of the community, while Kerri Collins, Luke Sampe, and Evan Hoyer (as McGruff) look on.

Nearly 600 people came out for Kids Day Fox Valley on May 7, despite strong winds. The annual community event, sponsored by North Shore Bank, provides the public with helpful information on crime prevention, child and internet safety, wellness promotion, and environmental awareness.

“Kids receive a stamp card and must visit 15 different booths run by local businesses or organizations,” explained Jill Heule, Assistant Branch Manager at our Menasha branch, which put on the event with support from Marketing. “At each booth, the kids do a fun activity, like a ring toss or golf putting, receive a handout of helpful information, and get a card stamped. After their card is full, the kids can register to win one of 32 new bicycles with helmets.”

Todd Purdy, as Seymour Savings, gets the large crowd hyped at Kids Day.

Donations from local businesses pay for the bikes, and the winners are selected randomly.

Although the wind meant that bounce houses couldn’t be used as planned, Kids Day featured plenty of other fun. Boy Scout Troop 127 held a brat fry to raise funds for summer camp, and guests such as Luke Sampe, meteorologist for CBS affiliate WFRV, and Fox Cities Ice Dogs mascot Frostbite showed up. There were also jugglers, clowns and face painters, and exhibitions by students from Soto’s Martial Arts, among other activities.

Employees who helped out at Kids Day Fox Valley included Jill, who planned the event and volunteered there; DM Kerri Collins; Menasha Personal Banker Adam Graf; MLO Stewart Hoyer; Marketing Coordinator Mary Ott; and Universal Banker Tyler Schumacher. Customer Todd Purdy played Seymour Savings, and Stewart’s son Evan appeared as McGruff the Crime Dog. See more photos from the day on our Facebook page and on Flickr.